Vacuum excavation
in Hobart.
Non-destructive digging around live water, gas,
power and telecommunications services.
Potholing, trenching, pier holes and pit cleanouts.
Vac truck excavation across Southern Tasmania since 1982.
Howrah Plumbing provides vacuum excavation and non-destructive digging across Southern Tasmania. High-pressure water breaks up the ground and a vacuum lifts the spoil into the truck, so nothing mechanical touches what is buried. Used for potholing, trenching near live services, footings, pier holes, asset proving and pit cleanouts.
- ISO 45001 certified
- LGAT preferred supplier
- Our own vac trucks
- Since 1982
Why choose Howrah Plumbing
No damage to services
Water, gas, power and comms left intact.
ISO 45001 certified
Safety systems for site work.
LGAT preferred supplier
Trusted by Tasmanian local government.
Our own vac trucks
Not subcontracted. Safe digging around existing services.
Since 1982
Tasmanian-owned. 50+ local staff. 45+ vehicles.
01 / How it works
Vacuum excavation and
non-destructive digging.
High-pressure water breaks up the ground; a vacuum lifts the spoil straight into the truck. Nothing mechanical touches what's buried. It's how you dig within centimetres of a live gas main or a fibre run without putting a bucket through it. Also called NDD, hydro excavation or hydrovac.
Non-destructive digging
No mechanical contact
Where diggers can't reach
In one pass
02 / Applications
What we
dig.
If it's near something you can't afford to hit, this is the method.
-
Potholing & service location
Exposing known services to confirm depth and position. -
Trenching near services
Trenching tight to existing infrastructure without risk. -
Footings & pier holes
Non-destructive digging for new footings and pier hole cleanouts. -
Pit & manhole cleanouts
Pits, manholes and stormwater gross pollutant traps. -
Asset proving
Confirming what's actually underground before works start. -
Power pole excavation
Digging around poles and stobie bases safely.
03 / The difference
Why not just
use an excavator?
Because a bucket doesn't know what's underneath it. Strike a water main, a gas line or a fibre run and the repair, the downtime and the incident report all land on the job.
Vacuum excavation removes that risk entirely, and it reaches places a machine physically can't.
04 / Who it's for
Who we
work for.
-
Builders & developers
Footings, pier holes and site works near live services. -
Civil contractors
Potholing, asset proving and trenching on infrastructure jobs. -
Councils & utilities
LGAT Preferred Supplier, working across Tasmanian local government. -
Other trades
Plumbers, electricians and telcos who need a safe dig.
05 / Coverage
Greater Hobart
and Southern Tasmania.
Based at Mornington, with an office in Hobart and a storage facility at Kingston. Local crews across both shores. Our own vac trucks, across the south.
- Mornington Head office
- Hobart Office
- Kingston Office
We service
- Austins Ferry
- Battery Point
- Berriedale
- Bellerive
- Blackmans Bay
- Chigwell
- Claremont
- Clarence
- East Coast
- Geilston Bay
- Glenorchy
- Goodwood
- Hobart
- Howrah
- Kingston
- Lenah Valley
- Lindisfarne
- Lutana
- Margate
- Midway Point
- Montrose
- Moonah
- Mornington
- Mount Stuart
- New Town
- North Hobart
- Rokeby
- Rosetta
- Rosny
- Sandy Bay
- Sorell
- South Hobart
- Taroona
- Tranmere
- Warrane
06 / Common questions
Vacuum excavation
questions, answered.
What is non-destructive digging?
Excavation using high-pressure water and a vacuum instead of a mechanical bucket. The water breaks up the ground, the vacuum lifts the spoil into the truck, and nothing solid ever contacts what's buried.
When do I need vacuum excavation instead of an excavator?
Any time you're digging near live services, water, gas, power, telecommunications, or anywhere a strike would be expensive or dangerous. It's also the answer for tight access where a machine won't fit.
Is it the same as hydro excavation or hydrovac?
Yes. Vacuum excavation, hydro excavation, hydrovac and NDD all describe the same method. The terminology varies by industry more than by technique.
Do you do general excavation and earthmoving?
No. We're a non-destructive digging specialist: potholing, trenching near services, footings, pier holes and pit cleanouts. For site cuts, land clearing or bulk earthworks you want an earthmoving contractor.
Can you dig where an excavator can't reach?
Often, yes. The hose reaches into confined and awkward spaces a machine can't get to, which is one of the main reasons the method gets used.
Do you work with councils and civil contractors?
Yes. We're an LGAT Preferred Supplier and work across Tasmanian local government, alongside builders, civil contractors, utilities and other trades.
07 / Next step
Got a dig near
services? Let's talk.
Vacuum excavation and non-destructive digging across Southern Tasmania.